RwandAir will launch direct flights between London Heathrow and Kigali from November 6.

The airline has been operating flights to London via Brussels for the past five years, but from next month these will be replaced with a new non-stop service to cater for increased customer demand.

The new direct flights, which are now on sale from £661 return (including all taxes and charges) will operate four times a week, an increase from the airline’s current indirect three-times-a-week service.

Flights depart Kigali on Tuesdays, Thursdays, Saturdays and Sundays at 23h35, arriving in London at 06h20 the following morning. 

The return flight departs London at 20h30 on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays, arriving in Kigali at 07h00 the following morning.

Customers travelling to the ‘Land of a Thousand Hills’, will experience RwandAir’s state-of-the-art A330, which offers a choice of business class or economy class. 

Yvonne Makolo, RwandAir CEO, said: “We are excited to be launching direct flights to London, which are on sale from today, due to the popularity of our current services.

“The UK is an incredibly important market for us, and we know our customers will value the shorter flight times and increased connections that will be offered by the new service.”

RwandAir’s new direct flights will increase access for visitors looking to see the country’s famous mountain gorillas, experience Rwanda’s majestic scenery, or go on a safari at Akagera National Park.

The airline’s schedule also allows for easy connections through Kigali to a wide choice of destinations across Africa, the Middle East and Asia.